In recent years, a plurality of electronic control units (hereinafter, called ECUs) have been mounted in a vehicle. This plurality of ECUs are connected to each other by a bus so that a local area network (hereinafter, called a LAN) is constructed. Data can be communicated between these ECUs.
Each of the plurality of ECUs controls the characteristics of a vehicle onboard device. Characteristic values for determining the characteristics of the vehicle onboard devices governed by of each ECU is stored in that ECUs. For example, when the vehicle onboard device is a headlamp, there is an ECU for controlling a turning-on operation in which the headlamp is automatically turned on when the vehicle enters a tunnel and is also automatically turned on in the evening, etc. In this case, the headlamp is turned on when illuminance from an illuminance sensor is less than a predetermined value. This automatic turning-on time, i.e., the predetermined illuminance value can be set as a different value in depending on the user and the local area. Accordingly, there are cases in which a change in the predetermined illuminance value is required.
A general control system for an automobile is proposed as a system capable of changing the control parameter program of each of the ECUs mounted in such a vehicle in accordance with a user's taste (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 6-219187). In this technique, a characteristic value for electronic control of the vehicle is obtained by a controller and is sent to a service center and the analyzed results of the characteristic value can be shown to a driver. Further, it is possible to maintain and check the characteristic value as to whether or not there is a problem with the characteristic value proper to the vehicle.
However, in the conventional system, the characteristic values of the individual vehicle can be maintained and checked, but characteristics arising from the intentions of the user of from the local geography can be automatically reflected. Further, the characteristic values of the individual vehicle can be maintained and checked, but characteristics arising from the intentions of the user or from the local geography cannot be reflected. Furthermore, the characteristic values must be finely adjusted for each individual vehicle. For example, changes in the characteristics arising from the tastes of many users and the characteristic values of a particular vehicle are continually changing. Accordingly, the user's intentions, etc. cannot be reflected by only simply maintaining and checking the characteristic values.
Further, there is a case in which the vehicle onboard device is replaced with a new device or other parts due to the passage of time, device replacement, etc. In this case, the characteristic values of the ECU governing the new vehicle onboard device are different or are unrecorded. Accordingly, it is necessary to set at least the pertinent characteristic values every time the vehicle onboard device is replaced with a new device or other parts.
However, in the conventional system, the characteristic values for electronic control of the vehicle are obtained and are maintained and checked in accordance with the suggestion of the analyzed results of the service center. Accordingly, it is necessary to perform a complicated operation in which the characteristics of all vehicle onboard devices are obtained and the pertinent characteristic values in the maintenance and checking are set to suitable values every time a vehicle onboard device is replaced with a new device or with another part.
Further, there are now vehicles capable of being equipped with controllers such as a telephone system, a navigation system, a TV system, etc., and information according to the tastes of the main user, e.g. the driver, may be recorded to each of these controllers. This information may consist of personal information such as a rest of telephone numbers, address data, a list of recorded locations relating to destinations of the navigation system, etc. set by an individual. This personal information is not as widely used as the control information, but there is a desire for temporarily and reliably holding this personal information.
However, in the conventional system, the characteristic value of the individual vehicle can be maintained and checked, but no non-general use information such as personal information can be held.
In consideration of the above facts, an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle information communication device and a vehicle information communication system capable of communicating with a vehicle to set a characteristic value of a vehicle onboard device capable of changing the characteristics to their optimum values.
Further, in addition to the above object, another object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle information communication device and a vehicle information communication system capable of simply setting the characteristics of the vehicle onboard device capable of changing the characteristics.